'Adopt A Room'

ADOPT A ROOM ﻿ ﻿﻿Youth and young adults from St. Anthony Parish in Passaic paint a room they “adopted” at Straight and Narrow in Paterson. The diocesan Catholic Charities agency is seeking more parish groups, youth ministries and schools to adopt rooms at its facilities.

PATERSON ﻿Throughout the Paterson Dio­cese, schools, youth ministries and parish groups participate in service projects to give back to the community. At Straight and Narrow, a diocesan Catholic Charities agency, Joe Duffy, executive director, is inviting parish groups to volunteer and “adopt” rooms at its residential facilities. Adopting a room consists of painting rooms.

Duffy, who also serves as president of diocesan Catholic Charities, said, “Our buildings are very old and somewhat tired and a bit worn. While the residential floors are always clean, they can always use sprucing up.”

More than 200 men, women and adolescents live in Straight and Narrow’s four-story brick residence on Straight Street here. Like any residence, its bedrooms, bathrooms and recreation rooms experience normal wear and tear. Duffy is appealing to parishes, schools, community groups and even individuals to become involved in “adopting” a room as a one-time effort or on a recurring basis.

During the weekend of May 2- 3, more than 40 youths and nine adults from St. Anthony Parish in Passaic, spackled and painted a TV room, a laundry room, part of a hallway and game room on the men’s residential floor. The group has “adopted” these rooms and will come back for touch-ups as needed. In addition, they plan to “adopt” other rooms.

Lori DiGaetano, youth minister at St. Anthony’s, said, “Anytime Catholic Charities needs assistance, we are happy to help. Their mission reminds us of our own mission whether it’s in ministry or in life.”

Groups from St. Mary Parish in Denville and DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne have also helped with similar needs on that floor, the adolescent floor and “Great Hall,” located at Straight and Narrow’s main building, two blocks away from the residences. Next week volunteers from a nearby Mormon church will come to spend a day cleaning, stripping, spackling and painting two stairwells in the resident building, which can later be used for stenciling and muraling. A full-time educator has also volunteered his time on Thursday evenings to do smaller painting projects.

Duffy thanked the teams who spend their time and talent at Straight and Narrow, learned about its mission and supported the agency, “We are grateful to these groups. Our most recent team of volunteers from St. Anthony’s has stepped forward every time we needed volunteers for any Catholic Charities project. We can always use a helping hand.”